Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Time flew so fast...posting an entry "First day of June" seems like yesterday and now I am posting "Last day of June"wow it seems like the earth is rotating faster than expected hehehe..but I love it because it means I will be finishing my masters degree soon and I am free to spread my wings and explore the other side of life.

Personally, I am happy with the way my life run at the moment. I finally stop thinking why I am welded in one corner unnoticed, I know time will come for me to shine. Since early this year, I promised myself not to entertain self-defeating thoughts any more, there are lots of things in life that's beyond my control and I never dreamed to focus on that, instead, I want to look on the other side of the road plenty of wonderful things.

Classes in the graduate school have just started and with it, comes so many requirements, assignments, project proposal and lots of paper works, but I assured myself I can make it! I still have 21 units left for my academic requirements then I would have to contemplate whether to take Thesis or just comprehensive exam, it depends on my financial resources.

Just today I received a notice from google for my adsense payment, wow!what a good timing and a great blessing since I splurge on accessories, shoes, bags and blouse yesterday as if there's no tomorrow and I feel guilty right now.waaah!

Well, we had no work yesterday, June 29, so at 10:00 am I and my two friends, Kathy and Sheila went out to buy girly stuff--accessories for our uniform and a lot more. We took our lunch at Mandarin-Victoria then went to G.Mall (without Kathy as she had to be with her luviduds..hehe) to look for shoes, we ended up exhausted and sleepy because we did not find any interesting stuff at Gaisano mall so we went to SM and finally bought shoes from Mendrez. After strolling around the department stores and Watson, we agreed to take a break and unwind at Pizza hut, as usual I ordered Carbonara and Caesar Salad.

I and Sashing went home at 5:00 pm and felt extremely tired upon reaching my room so I took a nap (about one hour.toinkz) before eating oatmeal and preparing Green Tea for my dinner. Speaking of green tea, I was so frustrated to find out that I mistakenly picked the wrong flavour, I regularly drink green tea with mint flavour but when I shopped the other night, I picked the citrus flavour and I detested this taste..anyway I will just endure it and be cautious next time.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

This is one of the most splendid hotels in Camiguin Island squashed between mountains and thick vegetation, the hotel is surrounded with amazing foliage and fauna with a swimming pool near its dining area.The accommodation is great and the rooms are terrific, dining area is located near the reception hall with a glass door directly overlooking the garden and swimming pool. Camiguin Highland Resort offers a guided day-tour around Camiguin.

Swimming Pool of the resort in front of the dining hall

Perched above the hills of Mambajao municipality where visitors can see the breathtaking gift of nature—mountains, amazing horizon, vegetation and the spectacular countryside of Camiguin province, Camiguin Highland Resort is a fantastic place to spend a relaxing night after a day tour. When I went there in 2010 with my colleagues, we occupied a room directly facing the mountains so the feeling was greet, I was able to relax and enjoy the place, it was a gratifying weekend indeed.

Warm welcome inside the resort's room

What I love about this place is its breathtaking location between hills, mountains and forest, the soothing morning and afternoon air, sweet scent of the wild plants, very tranquil environment and the chirping of the birds are what made this place so amazing and a perfect choice for a relaxing getaway.

It is quite far from the national road and the area is somewhat remote but the hotel staff can assist you in all your needs especially when it comes to transportation. For more information about the resort's facilities, accommodation, how to book, visit the official site of Camiguin Highland Resort

Located at the picturesque Island Garden City of Samal (Davao province) RMPC Beach resort is one of the most tranquil holiday get away destinations I ever visited. Its idyllic location below hills with cottages almost covered with verdant plants ensures privacy and quietness. Each air-conditioned cottage with a bathroom is good for 5 persons.

Sparkling turquoise water at RMPC Beach

I’d gone there twice and the place has several improvements already. Its ivory sand, sparkling turquoise water and sprawling playground made me yearn to go back there once more. The seaside is more fascinating, you can relax at the sugary sand with out fear of being toasted under the heat of the sun because there are several large trees protecting the area.

Cottages at RMPC

At night, the surrounding is more calm and romantic you will only hear the splashing of the waves and the chirping of the birds because there’s no blasting sound coming from a videoke bar (unlike other resorts). The soft breeze coming from the mountain and the ocean is more gentle and soothing, you may choose to take a rest at the foyer of the cottage or at the seaside.

Its ground has a basketball court, there’s also a special area for volleyball aficionados. RMPC beach guarantees fun and leisure because it has a function hall to cater special celebration. The spacious area can also cater any games or charades because of its large space. What I love most about this place is its quietness at night, I can sit at the nearest tree and relax while listening to the gentle splashing of the waves without any blasting sounds and enjoy the rest of the night talking with friends.

When I joined my colleagues last year for an overnight stay at this resort, we had a great time together, sitting at the oval bench under the Talisay tree. We brought foods and rice cooker and personally cooked our meals so it was more relaxing and fulfilling.

Located along Arellano Street in Davao City (at the back of Central Bank), Regos offers unique pasta recipes and coolers. I just visited this place with my two friends last week and I am impressed with its very delicious pasta concoctions. The Gambero Basil Pesto is just so amazing!

Ice cream in Walnut and Apple drizzled with Caramel

I love this place's location because it is so quiet and relaxing, I can hang on with friends without annoying disturbance from outside. Pasta at Regos is cook on the spot within seconds of order. Diners can even see it cooked on the glass kitchen.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Warren Buffet (left photo), the third richest person in the world with a net worth of $45 billion according to Forbes Magazine, has been known as America's most brilliant investor for a longer time. His shrewd investing style and intelligent business strategies made his business flagship, Berkshire Hathaway (Fortune Magazine's third most Admired Company next to Apple and Google), one of the largest investment companies in the world today. However, Buffet is also known for his legendary frugality and money pinching habit. While other world billionaires lived in fabulous mansions, Buffet remained in his modest Omaha home which he bought in 1958 at $31,500.

Here, Financially Fit of Yahoo Finance covers tips on how to build wealth and success and listed the frugal Formula of the man famously dubbed by the international media as "the Oracle of Omaha" which might help us invest and save more money.

Live life like Warren Buffet! Follow the following tips:

1. Live Below Your Means.

Being wealthy isn't just a product of your salary or investment prowess; it's learning how to save.

"We can make a lot of money, you can make a little bit of money, but the second you spend all the money is when people get into trouble. Saving is the key to preserving your wealth," saysEd Butowsky, managing partner of Chapwood Capital Investment Management, a firm that manages money for wealthy individuals.

As many Americans realized during the booming real estate market, just because you think you can afford something doesn't mean you should buy it. Keeping an eye on your bottom line will pay dividends over the long term.

2. Bounce Back From Defeat

With nearly 15 million workers unemployed right now in the U.S., it's easy to get discouraged. Don't! Most successful and wealthy people have overcome obstacles and failure along the way. Steve Jobs was ousted from Apple when he was 30. Today, he's a billionaire and a legend. Plus, after getting fired, he created another billion-dollar media company, Pixar.

"Bouncing back from defeat is something all great achievers have. They have this undying belief good things will happen and will continue to happen," says Butowsky.

Take Michael Jordan. "His airness" was cut from his high school basketball team. Motivated by the rejection, Jordan became a star the next season. The rest is history.

3. Self-Promote

Regardless of the profession, the rich and successful tend to have a strong sense of self-worth — key to skillfully navigating an upward career path. Mark Hurd, who was ousted as CEO of Hewlett-Packard in August, couldn't be kept down for long. Using his business skills and connections, in September, Hurd was named president of Oracle. (Hurd and Oracle founder Larry Ellison are known to be close friends.)

4. Have Street Smarts

Bernie Madoff lived the high life for decades, scamming unsuspecting clients, with a money-making formula that proved too good to be true. Only afterward did we learn that with a little due diligence, most clients could have easily uncovered the fraud.

But it's not only the swindlers and the con men you have to watch out for. Many times, friends and family take advantage of the rich. Whether it's a handout or an investment idea, Butowsky advises his high net worth clients that in most cases, it's wisest to just say "no." The best way to do that: have someone else do it for you.

"You need to really set up a wall between you and your family," he advises. "If you don't want to give them (family or friends) money ... saying no is probably a good idea."

5. Buy Cheap

The rich can afford to splurge, but that doesn't mean they do.

John Paulson, a billionaire hedge fund manager, bought his Hamptons "dream house at a bargain basement price," according to Greg Zuckerman, author of the Paulson-based book, "The Greatest Trade Ever." The story has it that Paulson eyed the home while it was in foreclosure. Finally, on a rain-soaked day, he purchased the home on the Southampton town hall steps. He was the only bidder.

On New York City's Upper East Side,Michael's— The Consignment Shop for Women— has been a bargain-hunting destination for more than 60 years. "We have a good percentage of women who can afford to shop on Madison Avenue but really like the idea of saving that money," says proprietor Tammy Gates.

From Chanel to Gucci and Louis Vuitton, the store specializes in high-end designer merchandise for a reasonable price. Speaking of her clientele, Gates says, "they're wealthy for a reason. They recognize that bargains keep people wealthy. Paying top dollar when you don't have to doesn't make sense."

Friday, June 24, 2011

Here's some advice from Sileo, who wrote the "Facebook Safety Survival Guide," about protecting online privacy on all social-networking sites:

• Never post your exact date and place of birth. It's invaluable information to identity thieves, particularly when the two are bundled together.

• Never post your address, phone number or email address. This is plum information to scammers and marketers who are looking for nuggets of your identity.

• Control who can see your personal information. Many social-networking sites have privacy features, but they change often. Know what they are, stay on top of them and restrict your page to your real friends, not friends of friends or someone you met in a bar.

• Limit information about your activities. If you must brag about a trip or a fabulous party, do it after the fact.

• Remember that what you post is public and permanent. Don't put up embarrassing photos that you wouldn't show your grandmother. Don't complain about your job or your boss. Don't say something to or about someone that you wouldn't say to his face. Don't threaten others.

• Know the four types of Facebook users: friends, outsiders, businesses and enemies.

• You should know exactly who wants to be your friend or is asking you to link into their network. Some people will befriend your friends to get to you or your company.

• Be wary of seemingly harmless quizzes. When someone invites you to take a survey, say, "10 Things Others Don't Know About You" or "My Favorite Things," it may be designed to harvest your data. The name of the street you grew up on or your favorite vacation spot could be clues to your passwords.

• Before you share any information anywhere online about yourself or your workplace, ask this question: What would the consequences be if this information fell into the hands of my boss, competitor or people who don't like me?

The most dignified way to do with nosy parkers and feckless blokes is to ignore them and stop going down to their level, and, just like what the late Princess Grace Kelly’s advised to Diana, Princess of Wales, “Treat it like a weather…it will get worst anyway”.

The trouble with life is that we are constantly surrounded with people who lack common sense and better judgment, who have a short supply of “reasoning” ability, who are pathetic to dwell on vague matters without scrutinizing the whole stuff if its substantiate the indignation.

These nuts with blinkered knowledge triggered them to act irrationally without dealing the issue responsibly.

Hey! Don’t be too cranky, it will make you appear more like a desperate idiot rather than an honorable person. Are you sure you are listening with the right ears? Do not throw stones with mud if you are unsure where the mud came from, it will come back to you and haunt you later. If you don't want to be talked about then do not make your life public, keep it to yourself so that people would not talk behind your back, you are the one who dishes people with gossip by splashing every detail of it in a social networking site you what do you expect, people will praise you? The moment you decide to make every detail of your life public, you must endure the consequences.

Do not wash your dirty linen in public. If you are not prepared to become the subject of gossip around then retain some mystery in your life by keeping your personal history private. Maybe you are unaware of the skeleton you suddenly let go from your closet and now it is haunting you.

Only Monkeys take things disproportionately. Stop creating fuss, it will just show how limited your knowledge and how futile your judgment ability is. Civilized people do things sparingly and never waggled on unfounded stuff only ill-bred folks entertained.

Oh well, I am not interested with the garbage bin much more with the content inside.

“IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THE SUBJECT OF GOSSIPING THEN DO NOT WASH YOUR DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC”

I often read the above line in many celebrity forums from annoyed readers who are tired observing celebs unveiling their souls in public but what is more irritating with these celebrities is their constant complain of invading privacy or judging them.

Wow! Are they nuts? They will spread their indiscretion in public then bitterly complain with the reactions it generated. Are they expecting of praises and adoration? Oh boy, you cannot please everybody.

That’s understandable anyway, celebrities sometimes are attention-seeker and would seize opportunities for publicity, but what puzzled me is their silly reaction why people kept invading their privacy when they are the one dishing information to the public.

If they don’t want to be criticized or talked then they should maintain decency. Well, that is a celebrity-style, they are working hard for public consumption at the expense of their privacy.

But what if an ordinary person without any name followed the trend?

There's someone I know who felt like she is a celebrity, divulging, splashing every detail of her personal life in a social networking site as if she has thousands of fans eagerly waiting for the updates of her daily life. Her indiscretion is alarming, sharing even the most useless thing that happened in her day. Why she can just keep it to herself? No one is interested to know it anyway. No one cares if her stomach was upset due to whatever she gorges.But what shocks me is her reaction to "gossip". And what she expects after her indiscretion? If she is not prepared with the gossiping then she should be careful enough not to dish out people with something to talk to. She should at least maintain some decency.Well, if you don't want to be talked about then do not act like a cheap nut, keep yourself private. Do not share every detail of your life publicly.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Garnier Face Powder covers greasy appearance around the skin surface and hide skin blemishes, thus, using it daily is one of my top beauty regimens of the day. I regularly applies Garnier Cream before leaving the house so the face powder of the same brand sounds like a perfect combination for a smooth and youthful skin all day.

I am currently using the ivory shade because it looks like Garnier has no available shade for girls who have fair skin. But I love its very refine texture because easily blends with my skin. What I like more about this face powder is its nice effect on my skin, the translucent radiance, smooth surface and oil-free performance plus it has SPF 18 which protects my face from ultra-violet radiation.

This pressed powder from Garnier has a whitening component too which makes the skin lighter and smoother. But I've noticed, well, even if ivory is a good shade, this colour seems not the perfect choice for my skin because it feels like my face has a different colour from the rest of my body. Ivory maybe suits well with girls who have brown skin. But overall, Garnier pressed powder is a wonderful beauty essential when it comes to skincare.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Had a wonderful time with my good friends yesterday at Abreeza. At lunch Helen called me to join her at Max’s resto.

Hmmm, actually last week, I, Juvy and Kathy already agreed to visit Abreeza by June 21, so after office hour yesterday, the three of us went there and Helen joined us later at KFC to talk some important matters.

What I always love about this little escapade with them is the fact that I can really enjoy their company to the fullest and very at ease without any inhibitions.

The fun and the freedom I felt having them around are terrific, maybe because we are on the same wavelength and our common sense and level of understanding follow the same path. Well, it is too difficult to go with people who have different principles in life and definition of freedom, it feels like you are speaking a different language.

Every time I am with the above-mentioned friends, I always remember the great lessons and house rules my father strictly imposed while still growing up in the province.

My father, a conventional disciplinarian, reared me in a very strict Catholic upbringing, he made sure I and my siblings clearly understood all his rules and how we could benefit from it in the long run, though my brothers directly defied some of Papa's rules, I followed it devotedly. He pronounced disco and bar houses as nastiest places on earth, so I did not attempt to go there even once.

Last father’s day, while going to SM to send a simple gift for my father, I realized how lucky I am to grow up with a father who is always there for me, whose constant guidance and discipline molded me into a good human being without encountering mess along the way.

Since high school, my emotional security surpassed my self-confidence, so great that I never think of looking for attention and affection from other people, I mean I was so contented with the protection and comfort from my parents that I grew up feeling fulfilled. Lack of attention from parents can be very disastrous, it will make someone hopped into the wrong road and bounced too eagerly like a hungry Labrador to somebody without gauging if everything is genuine or not.

And alas! Happiness truly can never be found elsewhere, it is just deep with in, contentment is a personal endeavor and nobody can guarantee you of anything. The most frustrating thing to happen is to be able to live a life not your own, as if you are living for other people’s dream, for other people’s expectations, it might be too dangerous, you will missed how great life is. I am glad I have a father whose stiff principles influenced me how to think sensibly.

As years gone by, the principles of my father embedded deeply in my system, one of the rules I considered very important is “avoid people with unconventional lifestyle”, so I struggled to build my little world within the people whose lifestyle is the same as mine.

I also learned to live with criticism everyday and refer to it as my devil’s advocate to see and balance things clearly, to be more sensible with my judgement and decision. I welcomed it as part of personal and professional growth, it is an integral part of human life, without it, you will never know exactly who you are and how to identify your lapses and blunder and how to reconstruct yourself.

Criticisms will always make you a better person. It is part of emotional maturity. Sometimes it is difficult to face criticism when you are afraid to reveal the nagging truth of yourself especially when you are hiding some anxieties, it feels like rubbing salt unto open wounds, it can hurt you but you will never learn your lesson if you won't experience pain.

But we lived in a society that abhors criticism because it will make us so transparent, it will reveal the real us, and we don’t want to see our real selves because we wanted to believe that our own little world is too perfect, too shimmery, but that’s life my dear, you cannot make everything perfect without passing through rough patches.

Later in life, you will encounter many more criticism and struggles and when your system is not prepared to grasp the negative side, that’s when disillusionment takes place and it gets harder and harder as you go along. Criticism, pain and sufferings are what make life worth living.

“If you don’t want to be criticized then never court it because what we received is just the result of what we projected”. Sometimes we think the world conspires to bury us in despair where in fact it is just the result of the impression we had given, we just reaped what we sowed.I am glad my father taught me to be broadminded and never dwell too much on petty issues.

Two decades later since grasping the principles and rules my father imposed in the house, I became more mature and secure emotionally and see the wider side of life in the correct perspective. Now after passing through many criticism and debacles, I am more sensible where to put myself and how to choose the people I should go with.

Great Lessons I learned in Life

---Always maintained decency and modesty to deserve respect from other people particularly from a man, well, remember that a man will treat a girl the way she shows how she wants to be treated. He gives that kind of respect if he thinks she deserves it.

---Avoid people who have unconventional lifestyle, it will bring no good to your journey in life.

---Never take boyfriends while still in school

---If you don't want to be talked behind your back, do not dish them with something to talk about. Our life is a reflection of what we constantly project.

---If you want to see the wider side of life and broaden your horizon, be prepared with criticism because it is only when being criticized that you will see the other side of you which might help you improve and become a better person. Part of living life to the fullest is embracing your shortcomings, you will never discover your real strength and potentials without passing through many criticism, most importantly, accept the fact that you cannot pleased everybody.

---No to night life (so I and my sister lived in a boarding house back in college with a 9:00 pm curfew rule)

---Go with the people who lived in the same Christian principles

---Listen to other people’s opinions. Their opinions might be too offensive to hear from your own point of view, but it punches great lessons in life you failed to realize and see because you are too preoccupied with your own judgement and stubbornness.

---Constructive criticism is good and brings great advantages because it will help you sort out important things in life and helps you realize where did you go wrong and where to improve, where to pick up the pieces and what portion to be tossed, after all, no one can see his own dirt in the face without seeing a mirror. Criticism serves as a mirror in life.

---Do not dwell too much on petty issues, discard it as nonsense, only people who lack better judgment easily irritated with baseless things.

---Happiness cannot be found elsewhere or in someone else but just deep with in yourself, if you are in great crisis emotionally, then go back to yourself, only idiot people throw the reasons of their miseries to their neighbors. After all, happiness is a personal quest.

---Do not wash your dirty linen in public, it will make you look more cheap than dignified. Learn how to be discreet, maintain modesty all through out.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Ever wondered why Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, looked super slim during her wedding to Prince William last April 29, 2011? It was reported that she undergone a Dukan Diet.

But there's one diet program I found lately which offers a similar technique of a Dukan Diet that Kate Middleton followed while preparing for her big day, Fatloss for idiots diet, which follows a principle of shifting-calories, high-protein and whole grain foods intake, in order to lose weight faster in just 11 days, very fast isn't it? But this very popular diet program, the FATLOSS FOR IDIOTS, concentrates on bombarding the body with whole grain foods in order to enable the fat burning system to work harder in eliminating fats.

This is such a tremendous development in dieting since some diet programs available in the market today admonished us to limit foods especially starchy and high-protein foods then even advised us to take diet pills, but FATLOSS FOR IDIOTS is hugely different because it will even allow dieters to eat food more than three times a day! Learn it more HERE and discover why the shifting-calorie principles made Kate Middleton so slim and sexy in just three months before the royal wedding. You will also discover the sexier, healthier, young-looking and slimmer in you if your faithfully follow this unique diet formula.

Just got home from San Pedro Cathedral where I attended an anticipated mass for Holy Trinity Sunday.

Such a fulfilling evening for me...while cooking for dinner I couldn't help but think the heartwarming homily of the priest about God's unbending love and the significance of the Holy Trinity in the Catholic faith, but what struck me most was his sharing about God's self-concept of being a "father". This is very timely because tomorrow the world will celebrate Father's day.

The priest then shared a touching story about the movie "THE MOST" where a man,
who worked as a bridge keeper, sacrificed his own son to save many
people. The scene where a man had to endure an agonizing decision to
sacrifice his son's life in order to save lots of people was heart-wrenching.

“The Most” story is so hard
to fathom and would take some divine intervention to understand the reason why
a father had sacrificed his own son’s life to save others. It might be too
unthinkable for our human brain but remember it magnifies the unconditional,
paternal love of God to His people which prominently described in John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
son".

Okay, so let’s leave it
there and it’s up to you to ponder on the gravity of taking self-sacrifices.

Since tomorrow is a special day honouring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, I will share something about my own father, how his strict principles influenced my life's decisions and how his warmth, protection and love made me who I am today.

For the first four years of my life, we lived in a farm where my father co-managed a poultry business. He also ventured into Copra, Abaca, Corn and fruits trading, but when insurgencies erupted we moved to my grandparents' place and left the farm to some tenants, seven years later, my father sold this farm and we permanently lived in the town proper.

I was extra close to him when I was still a kid. At summer, I would tag along with him when he reported to work at the municipal hall, I loved it because at lunch he would treat me to a lone restaurant in the place that served delectable dishes and allowed me to order anything I like!

It was only my father who could tolerate my tantrums without losing temper, he would easily yield when I wrangled to buy something maybe because he did not want his eardrums be pierced with my toe-curling wail. But like a good disciplinarian father, he never tolerated some of my impossible lapses, he would shout at the top of his lungs and shut me with glazing eyes if I did something terrible, he would often gave me a corresponding corporal punishment if necessary.

My father never let a single day passed without checking us when he would hear some unsettling issues, his favorite hour of the day (to talk to us) was at the early dawn, even if we won't wake up, he would sit beside our bed and would bombard us with advises and detailed explanation on how life should be handled to avoid mess later. Looking back, I learned so many lessons from my father's precious words and "counselling moment" before sunrise. His gentle words, which are unlikely because he was known with his signature "booming voice" in the neighborhood, deeply penetrated into my brain and miraculously worked for the next decades of my life.

He is far from modern but he understood how to live life in the present world. He would often warn me to
be cautious with the people I meet and "never come home late at night". He often said, we are somewhat unlucky to be born in an era where life is often treated unholy by some and where wars are frequently heard everywhere. He hated variety shows with girls dancing in bikinis, he found it too lurid to be watched by children, so we did not have television until my last year in college.

But after college, gradually, I was disillusioned with my father's
stiff principles in life and we occasionally had a row because of his
"wrong" interpretations on some world events. He detested America and
badly criticized whoever sat as US President. So to prevent from bickering, I
would not join him in the living room watching news because we always ended up
debating. Several years on and moving to a complicated era of modernity, I
could not help but think if my father was right with his interpretations.

Despite his radical principles in life, my father has this endearing character which makes me think if he owns a charity institution in his past life. If he saw a vendor in the street with torn pants, he would give his own, if he saw a homeless person knocking in another door, he would fetch him and let him stay in our house (this happens several times), he regularly offered foods, water and a small amount of money to people who badly needed it. He often said that part of our mission in life as a true Christian is to serve our "neighbors" as what the Holy Bible commanded. For one, I extremely admired his act of kindness and generosity.

He had been serving the Catholic church as a lay minister long before I was born, so when he had me he would bring me along to his church engagements. My first memory was accompanying him to the church while he conducted a celebration of the Holy Word (Holy Mass can only be celebrated by priests and deacons).
Church is his life, even when he was still working in the government office as a Local Revenue Collection Officer (a job he took in the local government office after leaving the Meat and Livestock Inspector item), he always prioritized his obligations in the church, conducting the Holy Word service when our parish priest is not around. In fact, he was not able to attend my college graduation because he had to be in the parish for the scheduled Parish Pastoral Council general assembly where he sat as President (at that time).

He is a great crusader of justice and peace in our province, a community organizer of cause-oriented activities, an activist and ecologist. One way or another, I secretly admired my father's superhero-like dedication to the Catholic church and community service.

His deep commitment to the Catholic life service and the community
was halted in 2009 when he suffered from cataract. By May 2009, my father
became completely blind and his movement was limited to sitting and sleeping.
It was a big struggle on his part because he adored reading books and watching
news. But the most frustrating part of this condition was the fact that he
could no longer offer his service to the community and the church.

At 71 and with the history
of hypertension and heart ailment, my father naturally could not be qualified
anymore for an eye operation, his blood pressure was unstable and sometimes
went up to an alarming level, but in the last part of 2010, due to his
willingness to see again and resume his lay ministerial job, he was able to
conquer the obstacle and his blood pressure miraculously stabilized and finally
on the 9th of November, 2010, his cataract was successfully removed.

My father gave up his
smoking habit in 1988 and when he was diagnosed of hypertension in 1990, he
totally stopped drinking alcoholic beverages and eating pork. Since 1990s, he
has a lifestyle only monks can endure. My father is not perfect, he has his own
shares of lapses too, but he’s trying hard to be the best father that he could
be.

More than a father, my Papa served as a good model in my life when it comes to generosity and kindness. His influence and discipline, to be morally upright all the time, made me able to conquer life's demons and temptations.

For this happy occasion honouring all the fathers in the world, my only wish for my father is to be healthy all the time and have a long life ahead to see me build a family of my own.

The Bridge (The Most) video which highlighted the homily of the priest for Holy Trinity Sunday, it carries a heartwarming message how much God loved the world. This is a wonderful movie trailer for Father's Day celebration. Happy father's day to all fathers in the world and to my own father, Mr. Leonardo Lamela.

Friday, June 17, 2011

While doing some important matters at work yesterday, Sheila asked me what's this Crepelato thing, so I told her this is a combination of crepe and Gelato, an Italian-style ice cream dessert, I bombarded her with all the yummy descriptions that she told me to visit the place one more time.

So minutes later, we agreed to go there in the afternoon right away, I told Kathy and Juvy about it and quickly agreed to join us, well when it comes to food, we are one soul, haha! We chose to go to Mayon branch because it is not crowded at night.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

It offers a wide array of scrumptious desserts made from the finest ingredients of fruits, ice cream, frozen yogurt, pastries and nuts. Its most prized variety is crepe float with oh-so-yummy gelato topped with cereals, fruits of your choice--Almond banana split, blueberry, vanilla, strawberry, mango float and many more--lathered with whipping cream and fruit syrup!

Crepe Float!

Crepe and Gelato in mango float flavour in cereals drizzled with fruit syrup and whipping cream

Pasta con Malunggay at Crepelato

Crepelato serves Belgian waffle in cones or cups, crepe float and combination of cake and pastries. I'd tried the crepe float variety and I was so overwhelmed with its super delicious taste! Served in a colourful china, the gelato attractively drizzled in fruit syrup and whipping cream sprinkled with cereals and bread crumbs and some nuts.

Crepelato in eight flavors worth P300 and good for 5 people

Vanilla flavour drizzled in choco syrup

Crepelato has three outlets in Davao City: NCCC mall, Mayon street and Gaisano Mall. Other than ice cream and frozen yogurts, Crepelato also offers pasta, pastries, value meals like Bulalo, Adobo, Barbeque, Spareribs, Longganisa and Native Chicken, served with one cup of rice.

Native Chicken Adobo

Honestly, Crepelato chillers are just some of the best desserts I ever tasted, its super yummy and Italian-made ice cream, gelato, is really the best and very different from the leading ice cream brands I know in the country. Gelato, aside from its yummy taste, is very unique because it never easily melted plus it has something in it that made me want to eat more, hmmm very addictive! It is non-fattening because most of the mixtures are very low in sugar and fats.

What could be more refreshing than combining Crepe and Gelato? A perfect mouthwatering dessert!

Non-fattening concoction. Crepe plus Gelato with cereals and other toppings drizzled with fruit syrup and whipping cream. This one plate costs P100.00

Gorging this unique Italian-style concoction is such a fantastic way to combat stress!So last night I had a great Crepelato moment with Kathy at NCCC mall branch. After our dinner---Mongolian Barbeque + Rice and Longanisa + Rice (also at Crepelato)---we moved to a couch and relaxed with one plate and another plate of Crepelato!

I originally wanted Almond Banana Split topping but it was not available so I picked the mango float mixture and it tastes wonderful, I mean the ice cream is so different from the ordinary ice cream I tasted. Gelato is such a natural cooler, not sugary nor too creamy, and it is not easily melt even if you take it leisurely while busy talking to friends.

Such a yummy dessert!The crepe float I and Kathy ordered

I chose only one scoop with crepe. One order is enough already because it is bulky plus it has delectable toppings of cereals and other sweets drizzled with fruit syrup!Crepelato also offers unlimited scoops for P199.00. They are serving gelato in Belgian waffle cones or cups, crepe float and pastries.

Crepelato is very different from other chilling dessert I tasted ever, it has a very unique and oh so delicious mixture..plus the crepe is so fantastic. I think this is one of my frustrations---cooking a perfect crepe in life haha!---I tried preparing a crepe one Christmas (2004) because I was so excited to present a Peach Crepe dessert to my family, but to my chagrin, the crepe I dedicatedly cooked turned like a complete pudding that my two cousins and one Aunt laughed hardly during our Noche Buena meal and asked me what the hell I was cooking! The crepe messed up with the syrupy Peach I stuffed inside, haha!^____^

But I am not losing hope that one day I could be able to cook a perfect crepe!So maybe I have to visit Crepelato one more time and take note with the crepes..hehe!

Hmmm and that "one more time" will happen later this afternoon (sooo fast!hehe) as I will going back to Crepelato with three friends, this time, we agreed to go to Mayon outlet because the place is nicer, quieter and more relaxing. Additional Crepelato photos tomorrow!

Monday, June 13, 2011

This is a 1999 film directed by Martyn Burke (but I just saw this docudrama the other night) and narrates the story how Steve Jobs and Bill Gates came into the world's consciousness as unbeatable computer geniuses and how they founded the business empires, Apple and Microsoft, respectively, which would dominate the landscape of computer technology in the new millennium.

The film actually is not an episode-type presentation because the story was not divided into two episodes but just jumped from one scene to another, compressing the unparalleled destinies of these two billionaires into one. They shared so many comparison and contradiction, including fierce competition--how Gates gasped in awe about the magic Apple portrayed in the world of electronic gadgets and how they meet and eventually accused one another of "stealing" an idea about a certain discovery--They are indeed Silicon Valley's most formidable rivals.

Though their stories are compressed in a single film, the concept is not confusing because each scene distinguishes Jobs (played by Noah Wyle) and Gates (Anthony Michael Hall) through the narrators, Steve Wozniak (played by Joey Slotnick) for Jobs and Steve Balmer (John DiMaggio) for Gates.

The film opens with Jobs (Wyle) talking closely to the camera explaining something about electrons and the new era of computers. He was in his ecstatic mood because the crew of an advertisement company will going to create a commercial that would portray Apple as the new "charm" of technology in the 20th century by introducing a Macintosh personal computer.

Most scenes center on Steve Jobs but I don't like the way the story presented because it portrays him as someone who is obsessed about spirituality (Jobs is a Buddhist) and created the philosophy of Apple with the spiritual dimension he is in. I cringed in desperation also when I saw one episode where he put his feet on top of the table during a meeting with one of the IBM executives and blurted an offensive line "are you still a virgin?" I mean what the hell is that? Jobs is also described in the film as an arrogant boss who occasionally yell and bully employees. But during the Macworld Expo in 1999, Steve Jobs, despite so many inaccuracies in the film, revealed that he was not upset with how his story was presented, he said "Me?Upset?Hey, it's just a movie" this punchline reminded me with Mark Zuckerberg's reaction also when asked about how he felt towards "Social Network" film where he was portrayed as stubborn and ill-tempered.

World's second richest man, Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft

On the other hand, Bill Gates is presented in the film as someone who is more like an impossible nerd buddy (Anthony Michael Hall walked like a robot and stared at the ceiling like he is a complete drifter and he wore high waist pants!). His story picks on a scene where he played poker with his Harvard classmates and Steve Balmer poked fun at his naivety stating Gates just sleep wherever he could even in a very messy room and bed, but Balmer rebounded by describing Gates as extraordinarily brilliant. While Steve Jobs and his Apple co-founders, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne are on the road of fame and fortune, Bill Gates and his Microsoft co-founders, Paul Allen and Steve Balmer, are still struggling to create a world of their own. But as the story progressed, Microsoft made a surprise leap into the world of fortune and glory...and the rest is history.

Steve Jobs, the 42nd richest man in the world, founder of Apple Incorporated

This documentary-drama film talks more about the inside story of Apple and Microsoft inventions and how these two high technology companies contrasted with the business philosophies they created, while Microsoft entertained the idea of penetrating deeply into the world of technology, Apple remained devoted to its vision which places art above anything else than commerce (which sets Apple apart from the rest and retaining its top position as world's most admired company). The film tackles a little portion of Steve Jobs's personal life--his ex-girlfriend whom he deserted when she became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter whom Jobs's refused to recognize until the late part of 1990s--but nothing about Bill Gates and until now I am wondering why it did not include the story of Gates marrying Melinda, infact, they already had two children by that time the film came into the theaters.

Anyway, for someone like me who is quite obsessed with how Jobs and Gates came up with fantastic inventions, Pirates of the Silicon Valley is an exciting documentary film to watch. But if you are not into Apple and Microsoft, this film might be too boring.

My only warning to you is that after watching this film, do not judge Steve Jobs as something like a monster because in real life, well based on other testimonies, he is not entirely what the film is trying to present. Unlike Bill Gates who grew up in a very comfortable and loving family, Steve Jobs was given for adoption by his young mother and grew up shuffling from different relatives, his childhood was a troubled one until he went to India to discover something about himself and became a Buddhist. Of course, this very sensitive aspect of Jobs's personal life was not shown in the film. And whatever happens, I always love Apple (especially Mac, toinkz!). Currently, Jobs is suffering a terminal illness, neuroendocrine cancer, but I am hoping he can fully recover.

By the strange twist of fate, both Jobs and Gates are college drop-outs who managed to find their fame and fortune through their extraordinary talent and intellect. Well, as what Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) commented "[they are] The Geniuses who transformed not only the way we communicate, but the way we live".

But I am just wondering why they are not the best of friends in real life, Gates's best friend is Warren Buffet, the third richest man in the world while Jobs's best friend is Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle and the world's 5th richest man (according to Forbes magazine).